It is well-known that in many instances it is desired to have a support for a post or similar matter, particularly the type which can display a temporary sign, and wherein the post can be easily installed and removed, without a lot of labor spent in preparing the earth and the support for the post.
Additionally, it is desirable that such a post support may be maintained permanently in the ground for reapplication of a post thereto, but during the time when a post is not inserted in the post support, the support should be unobtrusive and not provide any dangerous protrusion above ground level against which a person may stumble, or which a mechanical device such as a lawn mower would impinge. It should also be easy to locate.
Although prior art devices have been shown, and I refer particularly to the Miceli U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,149, and the prior art referred to during the prosecution of that patent which issued on Oct. 17, 1989, it is clear that the prior devices have limitations and unwanted features, all of which are eliminated or overcome by the device of the present invention.
The prior art fails to teach how a post support may be inserted into the ground, with its uppermost portion at or below ground level, and with a driving-mechanism which serves both to install the post support, and also to cover and mark the location of the post support during the time when a post is not inserted therein.
There are a wide variety of post-supporting devices available that are primarily designed to permanently support construction-type materials, such as pipes, 4.times.4 posts, mailboxes, and the like. These items are generally supported perpendicularly to the ground, and consist of a hollow section and a ground-engaging section. Often such post-support devices require special or other tools for installation and require the use of separate supporting pins or other devices, such as flanges, to secure the post.
The most recent post-support is disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,149 and requires no special tools. However, the socket-supporting member is always disposed above the ground with a special pinching mechanism for engaging a wooden post. This post-support require a short section of the post to install into the ground, and only provides a permanent hole for a typical 4.times.4 post. When the post is removed from the post-support, the support would be above ground, and would be dangerous to mechanical devices or against which somebody may trip and fall.